Drivers

Minnesota Increasing Biodiesel Blend

Minnesota is moving toward increasing the amount of biodiesel that’s blended into diesel fuel sold in the state during the warmer months of the year.

A notice issued by the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture, Commerce and the Pollution Control Agency, says it will be increased to a 10% blend, known as B10, starting on July 1, 2014 and running through October 31, 2014. Starting in 2015 it will be from May 1 through October 31.

A notice in the Minnesota State register says state law requires these departments to determine whether four statutory conditions have been met before biodiesel blends can be increased. These include federal standards for blend specifications, the production capacity of biodiesel in Minnesota, the amount of infrastructure and regulatory protocol for biodiesel blending and the source of feedstocks.

Currently Minnesota requires a blend of 5% biodiesel, known as B5, in most diesel that’s sold in the state. The increase to B10 in the spring and summer was supposed to have happened several years ago, but was delayed due to regulatory hurdles that had yet to be cleared.

In an interview with AP, a representative of the Minnesota Trucking Association said the group has concerns about additional costs associated with this upcoming change.